My Immortal
by Mara Manganji
Summary: My Immortal is a dramatic story; a sad piece between two souls that only true love can connect their destiny. You’ll expect anew version of Takeshi Manganji and a more compassionate yet frail Lilika in this story. It was love that turned their destin


MY IMMORTAL  
a CGT fan fiction by Mara Manganji  
  
Prologue  
  
Caught up by Blues  
  
It was a Sunday sunup in New York and the air was rude. Takeshi Manganji stood steady and straight nearby a creek. He tucked his hands inside his denim's pouch and made no any little gesture more of that. The river appeared gauche to escort his awesome stance yet crammed with millstones in his deep brown eyes.  
  
The rich young Takeshi had just lost his ardent father two months ago after a plane crash that hit their private airplane. It seemed that fortune was rude to his father for the plane exploded after a crash landing in Ottawa, Canada. His father was unable to survive on that horrifying accident and reports showed that all passengers including the pilot and some crew were all burned up after the plane had exploded.  
  
The memory was all the same fresh and he can yet afford to make crashing sound of the burning plane his father had into - the angry stoke of false luck, in his ears. The terrifying sound of the engine, the ravening chance of haven, the blood that scrolls down his father's face, the burning body, these are few things that came on his mind so shoddily.  
  
Takeshi was alone in the creek and it was easy for him to break out. He was caught up by nip. The stillness tore down when he felt a little bit anxious. He made two steps behind and all of a sudden a gentle cuddle reassured his rear.  
  
"I thought you were leaving to Japan." a mild voice of a chick disrupted his uneasiness. And it was Youko. She used to be his girlfriend when they were both 16. But after they broke up she used to be on her own and so did he. The girl seemed still hooked on him that she can't afford to watch him caught up by blues.  
  
Takeshi made a gesture. He shrugged and took her hand. She felt his touch move closer, but shortly she found him flinching away.  
  
"What's the matter . . . Takeshi," she asked. "It's not like I'm . . . Tell me, how can I please you?"  
  
The girl saw his paleness. Takeshi turned his face back to her and stared at her taupe eyes. The girl's long flaxen hair was carried by the wind as it hastily blew towards her face.  
  
"Its hard to watch you fall apart," Youko protested. "Now that I hear you breathing once again."  
  
"I'm not falling apart, Youko. You have to believe that," he said. "I'm just a bit tired. Thanks for your heed. You know I have to be strong."  
  
"I saw it. You had a moment of weakness. I think I'm the only one who noticed." she made a quick sigh.  
  
Takeshi was speechless, maybe she was right then. Youko cared for him so much. She drew closer to him. Her presence kissed lightly against his and for an instant he trembled. It felt good, warmth against the cold hard nest of his pain.  
  
The touch eased, as if retreating, and he relaxed, and it came again, stealthier and stronger. He gave up, opening himself to her so they mingled in a bright stream. He took her in his arms and let her stroke away the worst of his pain with her hand and the radiance within her.  
  
"I still love you," she breathed, after a time. "Just stay beside me."  
  
Chapter One  
  
It isn't Really Over  
  
The Tobita Club was rarely active in local crush gear fights in Japan after winning last four years' world cup championship. Most of the well- known crush gear clubs were slowly disbanding because of the new trend in gear fighting that covered primarily in Japan then later became a fad in the entire world.  
  
They called it the new Crush Gear Heavy. It was rampant and was dominating in crush gear arenas in most countries. The gears were upgraded to constant maximum efficiency. Its physical components were made of light and metallic materials and the speed altered to utmost than any VT-chasis model. There were many best specifications and excellent maneuvers that could be possibly and easily made from this gear. It appeared like an arkavalier but better, highly upgraded than any VT-chasis and had more chances of winning.  
  
Famous gear technicians in Japan hoarded all blue prints of traditional to the latest VT-chasis model to come up these crush gear heavy. However, only rich gear clubs could afford to have this new model and set up a ring for this CG-Heavy because of its high cost.  
  
Despite of its expensiveness, many persisted on acquiring Gear Heavy models because of its high technological classifications. The very traditional gears were faced out and ultimate heavy gears were leading the entire crush gear arenas. Nevertheless, the GFA tried to resolve this dilemma to extend the fun to other children who could not afford to have one.  
  
The Tobita Club on the other hand was in favor to this development since technology is fast-forwarding. The new era in Crush Gear World shaped greatly the entire Japan into highly technological center and even completely raised its status quo.  
  
Lilika, the manager of the Tobita Club felt pressured somehow to this new advancement in Crush Gear World. In addition, she felt that there was no need for them to convert the club into the latest and to join in Gear Heavy Tournaments.  
  
She elucidated the reasons for not adapting the newest fad to all Tobita members. Some of them sympathized however there were also few who could hardly accept. But eventually after some series of discussions, they appreciated. Lilika was not being rude to them of course; in fact she even deliberated the kids to join to some clubs, which were switching to Crush Gear Heavy.  
  
She really dogged to formally close the club after chain of examinations and consultations. She called up the official members to join their farewell party, which would be held at the Tobita Club Arena. Though her face showed that she felt unhappy for her decision but she was left with no other choice and besides it's enough for her to have the late Yuhya Marino as the Asia Cup Champion and Kouya Marino as the World Cup Champion. And she thought that the latter would be much on concentration with his studies especially now that he's in fourth year high school.  
  
The new CG-Heavy had transformed anyone's spirit of fighting into somewhat powerful and as strong as CG-Heavy. And she's afraid that underground gear fights worse than Gear Pancration would later exist like a nightmare. And besides she's too proud for the Marino brothers as well as to other Tobita members like Jirou Oriza, Kyousuke Jin and Kuroudo Marume for bringing victory into the club. And she's glad that aside from fighting, they all together learned the value of friendship and determination.  
  
"I know it's time to say it's over but you know, it isn't really over guys. It's just the beginning." Lilika quoted to herself kindly as she turned down the lights of the arena. Before she could turn off the final light, her mother interrupted her moment of silence.  
  
"Lilika, you've got a mail."  
  
"Thanks mother."  
  
She looked closely to the letter and she gave a sigh. She muttered some few words as if she was really yearning that the letter would come from someone she'd been expecting with. When she turned to see the sender of the letter, she uncovered shortly that it was from the GFA.  
  
She opened the mail with her both hands and she read it gently. It stated that the GFA had approved the club's permission to withdraw from the official list of Crush Gear Clubs in Japan. She anticipated for the response so she gave no further feedback for that. She turned off the light and went straight to her room.  
  
She could hardly fall asleep. There were many thoughts that kept on bothering her mind so inconsiderately. One from the Tobita club, though it's already fastened but she's still hooked with discomfitures, the other was from the letter which she thought would come from someone she'd been expecting with. But she failed.  
  
All her life after the world cup championship, she'd been waiting for hardly a single mail from a pal whom she heeded so much regardless of distance. This worried her so much cause eventually she recognized that she couldn't seize the space that torn between them. The more she felt vexed the more she grasped the thought that she missed him.  
  
* * *  
  
kring.  
  
It's already ten o' clock in the morning and Kouya Marino went out from the bed impulsively. He headed to his shower room, brushed his teeth and quickly put on his white jacket. He was loosing his appetite that morning for he's totally late for their general cleaning in the Tobita Club. His mother was not around and he felt gratitude for escaping from would-be-boring disciplines.  
  
The hazel-eyed Marino sauntered straight to the Tobita Club. As he was walking along the street, he saw a still-small man in a blue hat as if trouncing his eyes from the heat of the sun. Kouya run after the man and gave a little snuggle at the lad's rear.  
  
"Kyousuke," Kouya chuckled. "Hmm, I missed you gear master."  
  
"Hey, Kouya. Let go of me. You're horrible man!" the gear master turned outrageous.  
  
Kouya flinched from Kyousuke. He walked beside the gear master and the two had a nice talk, as they were moving towards the Tobita Club. It had been 4 years after the World Cup Champion that the two gear fighters had a close conversation with each other knowing that the gear master talked very often.  
  
"So, how does it feel to be the World Cup Champion, Marino?" the gear master posted a question even if it sounded like verification but the still- small gear master thought of beginning the day with a not-so-interesting question or in other words, a boring subject.  
  
"It's good, so good," Kouya halted from their walk. He held his waist with his both hands and held his head up high. " I love to hear them saying, Kouya Marino the unbeatable World Cup Champion.whew.amazing Jin. They look forward for my title. Man, this is cool."  
  
Kyousuke Jin ignored Kouya's series of gratification and some kind of a dull enthusiasm. He continued to walk and left him behind. Kouya on the other hand noticed the gear master's infuriating reaction. "Hey, Jin. You're a dork! You asked me that question and now that I'm giving you the answer, hey! Will you wait for me? If you told me to answer it just briefly, hey!" Kouya run after the gear master helplessly.  
  
Chapter two  
  
Soul Mates  
  
"Hey, Kuroudo. Is Kouya really coming over for our general cleaning?" Jirou Oriza asked the blonde gear fighter, whose right beside him holding a piece of rag wiping the tables next to him.  
  
"I think so, Jirou. Lilika told me that Kouya will be here and the gear master too." Kuroudo replied.  
  
After a tick of a second, the door gradually opened and the gear master appeared as he took off his hat. He stood there for quite some seconds to catch some rest after a tiring walk in the street.  
  
"Hey, Jin. Why are you late? By the way, Kouya is not around yet. Kuroudo and I felt worry for that kid. You know, Lilika is preparing crabs for him." Jirou faced the gear master without any hesitations.  
  
Just right before Jin could answer Jirou's question, he was suddenly pushed by a creature.  
  
"Crabs? Oh, crabs. I want to eat crabs. I want to eat crabs. Crabs. Crabs. Crabs. Where are the crabs?" Kouya started to wrath and crab figures were floating in his eyes. He sounded like a poor little child striped with crab starvation.  
  
"Kouya, have pity on me. Your crabs are drowning me. There is no crab." Jin tried to recover from his heavy fall from the ground.  
  
"Hey, Jirou. I heard you say crabs. You're a bunch of a liar. I'm sorry Jin. I was just too hyper reactive from Jirou's last statement." Kouya defended.  
  
"I'm not a liar, crab fool! Lilika is actually preparing you crabs and red bin buns too." The fat Jirou chuckled after his last declaration. His red bin buns were as always present in eating discussion just like Kouya's crabs.  
  
"Will you two stop that? You just prove how idiots you are. Okay, Kouya take this rag. And now do your job." Kuroudo commanded authoritatively to the tobita captain and at the same time handed him his filthy rag.  
  
"Kuroudo, to remind you, we're not idiots. Okay? And hey, I'm the boss here? Why are you passing this rag to me? Are you serious to take my role? Now, let me add some spice, lazy blondie. I'm still the unbeatable World Cup Champ! Ahh." Kouya by no means hesitated to retaliate the half French gear fighter with same avowal topics ever since.  
  
"Calm down, Kouya. Just think of it as a payment for pushing Jin into the ground and for your inexcusable tardiness." The blonde asserted back. He knew that everything was just for fun and besides he thought of Kouya as his younger brother, just like anybody else.  
  
"I didn't mean to push him anyway. And.does friendship count here?" Kouya's face started to moan. He looked at Jirou and keenly pointed the latter to hoard him from work. "Jirou, we're friends right? Can you.can you wipe this for me?"  
  
"Dream on, Kouya. Kuroudo was right." Jirou jerked out.  
  
On the other hand, Jin went straight to one of the benches in the club. He sat quietly alone and seemed to be as pale as the old times when he had a fight with his best friend four years ago. The team hardly noticed his weakness except for Kuroudo.  
  
The latter made some few steps to the gear master. They had been friends for so many years and Kuroudo knew if Jin had an odd feeling or not.  
  
"Are you alright?" Kuroudo confronted his best friend.  
  
"I.I.I don't know what I'm actually feeling right now, Kuroudo," Jin could hardly see his best friend's blue eyes. He was reluctant enough to express what he was feeling at that moment. "Now that the team will disband, I'm afraid to lose you all, my soul mates. And Crush gear? Yah, it's my passion, Kuroudo. You see, all my time, my efforts, my life." he paused for some seconds. He breathed after time and at final moment he sounded. "And my fate."  
  
"No Jin. Gear is not only your passion. And besides gear fighting will soon fade away. No matter what, we will still be soul mates until the very end of time. You have to explore life. You have to find," Kuroudo slowed down. He turned to face the gear master without any uncertainties and he pointed out his last few words. "Yourself, fight your destiny, Jin."  
  
"Destiny?" And Jin was reminded of something.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
"Now I know what I'm going to do my little friend," Lan stood up from the bench and approached the still quiet gear master. "And it's you who's giving me the courage to do that."  
  
Lan Fan could not get away from the gear master's eyes and at the last few minutes before Jin's final showdown with Kuroudo, Lan left him with her best advice. "I think you should start taking ahead of your own fate before it runs away with you." 


End file.
